University to students: 'All whites are racist'

queequeger · 11-12-2007, 06:47 PM

This thread has turned interesting... 'Are we responsible for our ancestors' actions?' has always been a point of indecision for me. It's against that whole 'american spirit' to take handouts, yet we feel justified if it's wealth passed down from our parents. On the other hand, we're supposedly not responsible for the sins of the father.

So we get all the benefits (i.e. wealth, social standing, nice jewelry), but don't have to suffer any of the negatives. This has always seemed a little twisted, and gives a heavy advantage to those on the upper crust of society. Sure I'm a millionaire because my dad screwed over thousands of people throughout his lifetime. Not my fault, but I'll keep the money if it's all the same to you. While this doesn't sit right, is it therefore OK to take money from that person because he didn't earn it? Not really.

So I got to thinking a few nights ago. This idea that 'I've earned everything I worked for, and I get all the credit for it,' doesn't fit logically. Let's think, did I make my car? Did I cast the iron and paint the body and set the timing, etc? On the same hand, did I invent my iPod, and build it from scratch?

Ok, so I work 40 hours a week for all the things I own, which is fair compensation for that amorphous society for what it gives me in return. So, it would logically follow that people who work 40 hours a week (if you include compensation for their time spent in college, and other training) get a fair living.

So why is it that Joe Citizen who worked 200 years ago got relatively little compensation? Because his ancestors had not yet done the work for him. He had no ipods or automobiles. It stands to reason that no one actually earns everything they get. We are all standing on the shoulders of everyone that came before us, so none of us can rightfully claim to have earned everything we were given (unless you live in the woods, built everything you own, and hunt for your food). Is this something to be ashamed about? Probably not, but it's certainly a bit bull headed to claim that I worked for what I got, and someone else who works just as hard if not harder doesn't deserve the same.

We're all getting handouts from our grandfathers, but the handouts aren't the same.

11-12-2007, 06:47 PM	#34
queequeger Hypercharismatic Telepathical Knight Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The armpit of the Universe... Augusta, GA Posts: 365	This thread has turned interesting... 'Are we responsible for our ancestors' actions?' has always been a point of indecision for me. It's against that whole 'american spirit' to take handouts, yet we feel justified if it's wealth passed down from our parents. On the other hand, we're supposedly not responsible for the sins of the father. So we get all the benefits (i.e. wealth, social standing, nice jewelry), but don't have to suffer any of the negatives. This has always seemed a little twisted, and gives a heavy advantage to those on the upper crust of society. Sure I'm a millionaire because my dad screwed over thousands of people throughout his lifetime. Not my fault, but I'll keep the money if it's all the same to you. While this doesn't sit right, is it therefore OK to take money from that person because he didn't earn it? Not really. So I got to thinking a few nights ago. This idea that 'I've earned everything I worked for, and I get all the credit for it,' doesn't fit logically. Let's think, did I make my car? Did I cast the iron and paint the body and set the timing, etc? On the same hand, did I invent my iPod, and build it from scratch? Ok, so I work 40 hours a week for all the things I own, which is fair compensation for that amorphous society for what it gives me in return. So, it would logically follow that people who work 40 hours a week (if you include compensation for their time spent in college, and other training) get a fair living. So why is it that Joe Citizen who worked 200 years ago got relatively little compensation? Because his ancestors had not yet done the work for him. He had no ipods or automobiles. It stands to reason that no one actually earns everything they get. We are all standing on the shoulders of everyone that came before us, so none of us can rightfully claim to have earned everything we were given (unless you live in the woods, built everything you own, and hunt for your food). Is this something to be ashamed about? Probably not, but it's certainly a bit bull headed to claim that I worked for what I got, and someone else who works just as hard if not harder doesn't deserve the same. We're all getting handouts from our grandfathers, but the handouts aren't the same. __________________ Hoocha, hoocha, hoocha... lobster.

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